Bucket cleaning attachment



March 26, 1957 F. NEUMEISTER 2,785,591

BUCKET CLEANING ATTACHMENT Filed Dec. 16, 1955 2 She ets-Sheet 1ATTOEA/EY March 26, 1957 F. NEUMEISTER 2,786,591

BUCKET CLEANING ATTACHMENT Filed Dec. 16, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 T IINVEN 0R FP/TZ NEUME/STEB,

ATTOENEYS.

United States Patent BUCKET CLEANlNG ATTACHMENT Fritz Neumeister,Whippany, N. J. Application December 16, 1955, Serial No. 553,513

3 Claims. (Cl. 214-510 This invention relates to a device mountable inthe bucket of a power shovel or similar device, and more particularlyhas reference to a bucket attachment the function of which is to cleanthe, bucket of encrustations of mud, dirt, etc.

A bucket loader, when used in the excavation or moving of clay or otherwet, sticky types of material, tends to become clogged or encrusted withsaid material. As a result, the capacity of the bucket is seriouslyreduced, thus correspondingly reducing the general efliciency of theapparatus.

While it is not broadly new to provide cleaning devices for a bucket ofthe character described, in many instances said devices tend to beexcessively complicated, as a result of which not only are the cleaningdevices too expensive to make the same commercially feasible, but also,ineflicient operation of the cleaning devices may result.

Further, in the prior art devices of which I have knowledge, thecleaning means has often required modification and re-design of thebucket, or of the mechanism on which the bucket is supported. Stillfurther, cleaning devices of this type may themselves occupy excessivespace within the bucket, which space should be left clear to move thematerial that is being handled by the shovel or loader.

The broad purpose of the present invention, in view of the above, is toprovide a bucket cleaning attachment that will have none of thedeficiencies noted above. Other objects, also of considerableimportance, are as follows:

First, to permit the invention to be readily adapted for mounting in anyof various sizes and shapes of buckets;

Second, to effect automatic operation of the cleaning means responsiveto each tilting movement of the bucket, thus to effect cleaning of thebucket prior to each movement thereof into the material being handled; I

Third, to so form the device that at different stages during thetiltahle movement of the bucket alternate series of cleaning teeth willbe actuated, to improve the cleanin action; and

Fourth, to provide a bucket cleaning device as stated that will notaffect full visibility of the material being handled, or theconventional movement of the bucket into and out of said material.

Other objects will appear from the following description, the claimsappended thereto, and from the annexed drawing, in which like referencecharacters designate like parts throughout the several views, andwherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a bucket equipped with acleaning device formed according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure l in which the bucket has beentilted to shift the cleaning teeth out wardly;

Patented Mar. 26, 1957 Figure 3 is a fragmentary seetional view on line3-3 of Figure l; e

Figure 4 is a detail, vertical sectional view on line 4-4 of Figure 3;

- Figure 5 is a detail sectional view on line 55 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a plan view of the assembly of the tiltable bucket with thecleaning attachment of the present invention associated therewith; and

Figure 7 is a longitudinal'elevational view of the as-' sembly of Figure6.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the reference numeral 10 generallydesignates a conventional bucket on an earth moving machine. The bucketincludes a back wall 12 merging along a curved path at its lower endinto a bottom wall 13. Reinforcing the back and bottom walls areelongated, curved ribs 14, the forward ends of which project beyond thefront end edge of bottom wall 13 and are pointed to effect efficientpenetration of the material being handled.

, On the upper end of the bucket, there is mounted a forwardly opening,transversely extending channel member 16, extending between and fixedlysecured at its opposite ends to the side walls 17 of the bucket. Aplurality of spring teeth 18 is secured to the channel member, saidteeth being designated by the reference numeral 18 and being formed attheir upper end portions of in verted U shape designate at 20, saidportions being bolted or otherwise fixedly secured to the channelmember.

Projecting forwardly from the web of the channel member intermediate thetop and bottom walls of said member are cars or brackets 22, andpivotally attached to said brackets are upwardly projecting cars 24carried by an elongated angle member 26 extending longitudinally of thechannel member, substantially from one to the other of the side walls 17of the bucket. The angle member 26, at uniformly spaced locations alongthe length thereof, has cleats 28 fixedly secured thereto. The cleatsprovide cam projections on the angle member, said projections swingingin an arcuate path with member 26 about the axis of the pivotalconnection of said member to support brackets 22 of channel member 16.

The cleats are so spaced longitudinally of member 26 as to engage inback of alternate teeth 18, so that on swinging of member 26 from itsFigure l to its Figure 2 position, the teeth engaged by the camprojections will be shifted outwardly from the back and bottom walls ofthe bucket a distance greater than those teeth 18 extending in thespaces between projections 28. This is shown to particular advantage inFigure 2, and the construction and operational characteristics have thedesirable result of breaking up formations of clay or other stickymaterial adhering to the walls of the bucket, more efficiently thanwould be true if all the teeth 18 were shifted forwardly equal distancesfrom the bucket wall.

To effect rocking movement of angle member 26 relative to the channelmember 16 of the bucket, an arm 30 is welded or otherwise fixedlysecured to the angle member 26 medially between the ends thereof, saidarm extending through a slot 31 formed in the web of channel member 16.At its rear or outer end arm 30 is pivotally connected to one end of atrip rod 32, the other end of the rod 32 being pivotally connected as at40 to an upstanding lever 41. The lever 41 has the lower end pivotallyconnected as at 42 to a hydraulic cylinder 43, the upper end of thelever 41 having one end of a trip rope 44 attached thereto, and havingthe other end secured to a rigid part of the material handling machine,not shown. So, a pull on the rope 44 will exert a pull on the arm 30through the medium of the rod 32 each time the bucket is tilted as inFigure 2 preliminary to movement of the same into the material beinghandled. It is to be noted that the cylinder 43 is pivotally connectedto the back of the channel member 16 as at 45, and projecting out of theend of the cylinder adjacent the connection 42 is a portion of a pistonrod 46 which is pivotally connected as at 47 to an ear 48 carried by aboom 49. The boom 49 is pivotally connected as at 50 to the side wall 17of the bucket 10. The piston rod 46 is attached to a piston 51 movableback and forth within the cylinder 43. The cylinder 43 is provided withthe flexible hoses 52 and 53 adjacent the ends thereof for actuating thepiston 51. Actuation of the piston 51 so as to move same away from thebucket causes the tilting of the bucket about its pivot 50 to a dumpingposition or the position as shown in Figure 2, and actuation of thepiston 51 so as to move same toward the bucket 10 causes the tilting ofthe bucket about its pivot 50 to the position in which the cleaningteeth are shifted inwardly or the position of Figure 1.

By reason of the construction illustrated and described, ordinarily thespring teeth will be disposed in full contact over their entire lengthswith the back and bottom walls of the bucket, and accordingly will notinterfere in any way with the handling of the material put into thebucket, said teeth occupying only a very small amount of space withinthe bucket so as to decrease the capacity of the bucket only to a minuteand inconsequential extent.

Each time the bucket is tilted to release the load, angle member 26 willswing forwardly and will initially move outwardly those teeth 18 engagedby projections 28. Then, as the member 26 moves forwardly to a furtherextent, the remaining teeth 18 will be engaged and shifted outwardlyfrom the bucket wall, to effect breaking up of the crust of material sothat said material may be loosened and will fall out of the bucket.

It is believed clear that the invention is not necessarily confined tothe specific use or uses thereof described above, since it may beutilized for any purpose to which it may be suited. Nor is the inventionto be necessarily limited to the specific construction illustrated andde' scribed, since such construction is only intended to be illustrativeof the principles of operation and the means presently devised to carryout said principles, it being considered that the invention comprehendsany minor changes in construction that may be permitted within the scopeof the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. The combination, with a tiltable bucket of a materials-handlingmachine, of a plurality of closely spaced spring teeth anchored at oneend to the bucket and extending for at least a substantial part of theirlengths in contact with a wall of the bucket; an elongated memberpivotally connected to the bucket and extending in back of said teeth;projections spaced longitudinally of said member and disposed rearwardlyof some of said teeth, whereby on swinging movement of the member in thedirection of the teeth said projection will engage the teeth in front ofthe same to bias the same outwardly from said wall of the bucket and, onfurther movement of the member in said direction, the remaining teethwill be engaged by the member for movement outwardly from the bucketfollowing movement of the projection-engaged teeth; and means connectedto the member for swinging the same in said direction responsive totilting of the bucket in one direction.

2. The combination, with a tiltable bucket of a materials-handlingmachine, of a device for cleaning the bucket responsive to tilting ofthe same, comprising: a plurality of like spring teeth anchored at oneend to the bucket and extending in contact for the major portion oftheir lengths with one wall of the bucket, said teeth being disposed inclosely spaced parallel relation over the full width of the bucket; anelongated member extending in back of all of said teeth and connected tothe bucket for swinging movement about an axis extending transversely ofthe teeth; a series of projections carried by said member, saidprojections being disposed in back of some of said teeth, the remainingteeth alternating with those in front of the projections whereby onswinging movement of said member in one direction about said pivot axis,said projection will engage the teeth in front of the same to bias thesame outwardly of the bucket, the remaining teeth being engaged by saidmember following outward movement'of the projectiomengaged teeth andmovement of said remaining teeth outwardly of the bucket followingoutward movement of the first named teeth; and means connected to saidmember for swinging the same in said direction responsive to tilting ofthe bucket.

3. The combination, with a tiltable bucket of a materials-handlingmachine, of a device for cleaning the bucket responsive to tilting ofthe same, comprising: a plurality of like spring teeth anchored at oneend to the bucket and extending in contact for the major portion oftheir lengths with one wall of the bucket, said teeth being disposed inclosely spaced parallel relation over the full width of the bucket; anelongated member extending in back of all of said teeth and connected tothe bucket for swinging movement about an axis extending transversely ofthe teeth; a series of projections carried by said member, saidprojections being disposed in back of some of said teeth, the remainingteeth alternating with those in front of the projections whereby onswinging movement of said member in one direction about said pivot axis,said projections will engage the teeth in front of the same to bias thesame outwardly of the bucket, the remaining teeth being engaged by saidmember following outward movement of the projection-engaged teeth andmovement of said remaining teeth outwardly of the bucket followingoutward movement of the first named teeth; and means connected to saidmember for swinging the same in said direction responsive to tilting ofthe bucket, comprising an arm rigid with said member and extendingradially of the pivot axis thereof, and a trip rod pivotally connectedat one end to said arm and extending rearwardly from the bucket forconnection to said machine, thus to swing said member responsive totilting of the bucket.

References Cited in the file of this patent Hammond June 18, 1907

